Atlanta Archbishop to sell mansion amid complaints of extravagance

Emma G. Fitzsimmons

After an uproar over the cost of a $US2.2 million ($2.36 million) residence, the Archbishop of Atlanta said over the weekend that he would sell the mansion.

Archbishop Wilton Gregory announced the decision on Saturday after a private meeting with dozens of parishioners and priests. He apologised last Monday in a letter after complaints about the extravagance of the residence.

The home of Atlanta Archbishop Wilton Gregory in the Buckhead district of Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Reuters

Archbishop Gregory said in a statement that he decided it was best to sell the mansion and to invest the proceeds into "the needs of the Catholic community". He lived in a part of the living quarters that was only about 65 square metres, and the downstairs was used for hosting a variety of events, his spokeswoman, Pat Chivers, said on Saturday.

"I want to thank those parishioners whose prayers, counsel and concern brought this issue to light and ensured that their archbishop was properly attuned to the important symbolism of simple actions and the challenges faced by many of the faithful in the Archdiocese of Atlanta," Archbishop Gregory said in a statement.

The archbishop will move out of the home early next month and into another property owned by the archdiocese.

The lavishness of the 1828 sq m home struck some parishioners as out of line with the church's mission, especially as Pope Francis has called on Catholics to help the poor. The pope has chosen to live in a modest Vatican residence and criticised overspending by church leaders.

Archbishop Gregory has said that he built the residence because the cathedral where he previously lived was too crowded. He built the mansion with donated money and land given by Joseph Mitchell, a wealthy nephew of the author of Gone With the Wind.

In his letter of apology last Monday, Gregory said he would do a better job of listening from now on.

"I promise you that my service to you is the reason I get up each day – not the house in which I live or the ZIP code to which my mail is sent," he said.